Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-01-21

On the subject for discussion in the
Presbyterian Church last night-.Griev-
ing the Holy Spirit the pastor said:
THE Holy Spirit is a pers0n-one of
the persons of the adorable Trinity. He
IS capable of being loved, obeyed, dis
obeyed, grived, As the divine Spirit He
has the attributes of God. His knowl-
edge Of us, of our thoughts and acts, is
perfect. He is omnipresent, and Is the
author Of all spiritual life, whether 1t be
found in the heart of the individual, or
in the church as a collective body. We
are ever in His presence, and He knows
how we are affected by the truth or by
the circumstances in which we are placed.
IF we do anything inconsistent with
His holy nature, or that tends 10 hinder
His work in our own hearts or the hearts
of others, we grievc Him. Grieving Him
is not unlike grieving parent or low
ing friend. 1t determines Him TO act as
parent would act toward child that had
been ungrateful. He withdraws His Holy
influences. He leaves us to ourselves
Then we wander in the dark. We fall
into error and scepticism. We endcavor
to pervert the truth, and to hinder its eff
feet upon the hearts of others. We need
the Holy Spirit to lead us into the light,
and to keep us fond of the truth.
When we grieve the Holy Spirit we
are left to cherish impure thoughts and
feelings, and to excite them in the hearts
OF others. We need the Holy Spirit to
purify mind and heart. lie is the one
who regenerates and converts the heart
1t is lie who sanctifies the affections, and
prepares the soul for the enjoyment of
heaven Under the influence of that
blessed spirit we grow in our desires after
that which is good, and become more and
more like Christ, who is the perfect ex-
ample after whom we should pattern.
without the aid of the Holy Spirit we
become irreverent, ungrateful, disobe
dent We have unamiable and malig-
nant feelings toward our fellow men, as
we'll as rebelious feelings toward God
The absence of the Holy Spirit disturbs
the peace of families. Its absence cor
Iupts the community and drags the church
down from the exalted position it should
occupy.
Ills great work is not alone to enlight
en- and purify, but to comfort. There
are times in the life of the best of Gods
children when they need the consolation
the Holy Spirit can bring them. Sickness,
bereavements, losses, disappointments
come TO all of us, when we need the heav
enly Comforter to come and speak words
of cheer. Now if we grievc that spirit
how can we have the comfort we need at
such times. Hence the christian, if he
desires TO have the consolation of that
Spirit, ought to cherish His presence,
and do nothing to drive Him out of his
heart.
His absence from the hearts Of those
who are not christians leads them, in
times when they need Him the most, to
be rebellious. and defiant, and TO run into
all sorts of evil that only increase their
sorrow You sec it in the life and terri
bic death Of some who would not yield to
the gentle influences of the Spirit calling
them to enter upon a better life. They
were advised and warned, but they disre-
garded the advice and warning, and we
saw their miseries increasing until they
were completely overwhelmed, and went
down to the grave without giving any
evidence that heaven would receive them.
IF, therefore friend, you want light for
your darkness, pardon for your guilt,
purity for your vileness, and comfort for
your sorrow, do not grive the Holy Spirit.
BY prayer, and attention to other relig
ious duties, cherish his presence, and
yield to His guidance. 1t is the safer,
the wiser, the happier course to follow
where He leads.